Log Entry No 7 - 12th Oct 07. (Yacht Discoverer)

FROM THE CAPTAINS CABIN

Mood on Yacht Discoverer is buoyant as she is making excellent progress towards Salvador.

NAV CHECK

Discoverer crashes through the South Atlantic.

Yacht Discoverer has enjoyed consistent SE Trade Winds as she is now heading down the coast of Brazil towards Salvador 150 miles offshore. On Monday afternoon we stopped heading due south and began to head SW as we lost the Southern Equatorial Current and picked up the Brazilian Current. The Southern Equatorial Current pushes from the mid South Atlantic towards the Caribbean while the Brazilian Current pushes south/SW down the coast of Brazil.

This change of course meant a bear away from a Close Haul to Beam Reach (Going from being hard up close to the wind to move with the wind coming from right angles to the boat), this not only meant more speed but a much smoother ride  - the boat was no longer heeled over at 45 degrees. Since Monday afternoon we have experienced hourly averages of over 9 Knots.  On Tuesday we set the staysail for the first time, flying it inside the No.2 Yankee – naturally this did little to hold up are progress.

The Stay Sail working inside a Yankee 2.

The only break to the consistently in wind speed and direction came last night when suddenly the wind picked up from a Force 5 gusting 6 to a Force 6 gusting 7, with a wind shift to the East coming with it. It was caused by a large rain cloud which had its own weather going on underneath it. The Staysail was immediately dropped and Lt Colquhoun, who had rapidly taken over the wheel from a bemused Pte Bhudoye, whilst surfing down waves at up to 12.5 knots was waiting for a clear indication of intention from the wind.

Joined by 1st mate LCpl Minns, they both were given a wake up call as a monster wave crashed over the stern soaking both of them from head to toe – the remainder of Red Watch looked on in amusement as they stayed dry. After half and hour this new breeze stopped, almost as quickly as it started, dropping down to a Force 4. It was a very eerie few minutes as the wind rose and dropped, only one or two stars could be seen leaving us guessing what the clouds were doing above us. The wind then shifted back round to the SE and rose back to the Force 5 gusting 6 that we had earlier. Trying to see clouds formations at night is always hard, often estimations are made based on the star count and also by checking the radar for rain.

Spr Grieve Emerges onto deck for watch.

This morning we altered course back to south again, the Brazilian Current has not had as much effect as we expected and as a result we are moving too close to the Brazilian coast. Skipper Andy wanting to play a safe game as far as pirates go. Pirates are known to operate off the Brazilian coast, perhaps more so in the region of the Amazon delta, and by staying over 150 miles from the shore we are out of the range of most small speedboats. The plan is to keep Brazil at arms length until we are off Salvador and then head straight in.

As we make progress down the Brazilian coast, it pertinent to note the change in perspective that such a long ocean crossing has made. A few weeks ago I would have not described a passage 150 miles offshore, as moving down the Brazilian coast. The nearest point in Brazil is still the best part of a days sail away and that phrase would bring up visions of sailing within sight of land – that certainly is not the case. In the bigger picture, however, we are moving in the Brazilian Current and our course is being affected by the land. The daily landscape on board is dictated by clouds and sea swell, it will be nice to have something else to look at!

The Crew have recovered from their post equator low and are now very much looking forward to Brazil and their focus seems to be having a meal that you can eat with a knife and fork rather than the daily racing spoon ritual.

Skipper and Red Watch Leader discuss the previous night at sunrise in the South Atlantic.

Leadership Training

Command tasks continue whenever a manoeuvre is completed although it is important to note that on an average day there might only be a single sail change and more bizarrely we have not tacked or gybed since we were north of the Cape Verde Islands! Presentations have continued with subjects ranging from GPS and wind to Felixstowe and Stanley. The crew have now been tasked to try and collect together their thoughts, experiences and lessons learnt from this trip in order to present on arrival in Salvador. The standard of presentation has risen dramatically, and individuals should be proud of what they have achieved. On the command task side of the leadership training, not as much has been taken as was previously expected. With sail changes, as previously stated, being so few and far between, some have needed to be done rapidly and for a reason, therefore have been led by a member of the afterguard. A yacht is a very good place for conducting this variety of training but a long ocean passage does not give the same variety as a week in the Solent or off the West Coast of Scotland.

In Other News

Flying fish have returned with a vengeance now we are back in the trade winds. Every morning a handful are being found on deck, one was even found on the bench in the cockpit lying between two members of Red Watch. They also seem to have got their aim in, the other day Lt Colquhoun was slightly winded in the middle on the night by one – Flying Fish 1 Discoverer 0; the count in the morning deck count, however, was 3 giving Disco the overall victory that night. Unfortunately we have not had the correct facilities to cook the fish on board, frustrating!

A sea bird landed on the deck a couple of days ago, it has been following us for about 500 miles, we think, bizarre that it has taken this long to pluck up the courage to land on deck!

LCpl Minns believes that he is cursed. Every week, the Watch Leaders have been given a night off to recuperate with a Mate filling in. Whenever LCpl Minns takes over on such an occasion, the wind is either very fluky or Discoverer finds her way under a big rain cloud.

Skipper Andy has had an adverse reaction to the past two 200 mile days as he is now intent on slowing are progress into Brazil. He had originally been working on a Monday arrival – we are now staring at a Friday arrival!

The Clocks went back last night for the third time, we are now on GMT – 2. At last Blue Watch did the extra hour!

LT AJ COLQUHOUN

FROM THE MOTHER WATCH’S GALLEY

On a long ocean passage, food conservation is essential, Spr Andrew Grieve didn’t help the cause yesterday when the skippers evening meal ended up on the floor – luckily the foul weather trousers that are mandatory wearing prevented any injury.

The pallets on board have now recovered from the horrors of Neptune and have continued to enjoy some tasty evening meals. Puddings continue to be a dark art, fruit salads are not difficult, open tin and serve; the art of cake making, however, produces mixed results. The cakes made by Andrew and Gav on Monday, had some space for improvement although served with a good dose of jam and honey were perfectly edible!

The Bread making skills of the mother watch, have improved and the bread is now consistently edible. No more burnt bread Neptune, many apologies!

LT AJ COLQUHOUN

FROM THE CREWS QUARTERS

From the Blue Watch

Chris D:
10/10 “Morale is starting to improve a bit. Can’t wait to get into Brazil – get a decent nights sleep, food, showers and proper clean clothes. Clocks went back last night and we were on watch, so unfortunately we had to do an extra hour. I’ve got a pot noodle I’ve kept from Lanzarote still which I think I’ll eat today as a treat!”

Dan:
10/10 “Not long left now. I can’t wait to get to Brazil. Everybody is getting really tired now and morale isn’t as high as it was before! I’ve just finished mother watch and hopefully it was my last one. I had an extra hours sleep last night because the clocks went back again!”

Andrew:
10/10 “We are still making good progress but it has improved since the second reef has been shaken out and the staysail put up. The Staysail is another sail put up between the foresail and mainsail to increase the speed. Just about to go on the helm, so I hope the sea will remain quite calm but the wind high so we can keep going at about 9 knots. My helming has improved but still needs practice (a lot!!!).”

From the Red Watch

Jade:
10/10 “We are about 260 miles from Salvador. I sliced my finger on a peach tin on mother watch last night, ha ha! Dan and I made bread today, it turned out really well this time. Andrew and I had to do PT on the deck with Jamie today because I didn’t turn the oven off properly.

Kris:
09/10 “We are making very good time, current estimates put us in port some time on Friday Daytime…Hoofing.”

Callum:
09/10 “We are now around 500 miles from Brazil. I’ve just been informed, I have a patch of sunburn on my back. Still after nearly 3 weeks NO tan. It really does hurt me. Can’t wait till Brazil now…. Need to remind Jade to spell yacht correctly.”

FINAL FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Wisdom from the Skipper:

“If you’re in the shit and happy, keep your mouth shut.”

Wisdom from the First Mate:

“Never sail out further than you can row back.”

Wisdom from Red Watch Leader:

“A wise old owl lived in an oak, the more he heard the less he spoke, the less he spoke the more he heard so lets be wise like that old bird.”

Advice from the Blue Watch Leader:

“When I’m in a sober mood, I worry, work and think.”